Maji Love to the Max
by megmeg999
Summary: Tokiya faces challenges as he starts to feel, think, and do things he never thought he'd do. Starish return to Saotome Academy put their world tour on hold, and Tokiya's new relationship with Haruka may end when his feelings for roommate start to change.
1. Prologue

Title: Maji Love to the Max

Summary: Tokiya faces some serious challenges as he starts to feel things, think things, and do things he never thought he'd do. With Starish's return to Saotome Academy, and their world tour on hold, Tokiya's recently made relationship with Haruka faces a dark ending when his friendship with his roommate takes a turn he didn't expect.

Pairings: SECRET! Duh, what's the fun of that? Hehe :D

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Uta no Prince Sama characters, locations, etc. (_unfortunately_)

* * *

The stadium was aglow from the basement to the tallest point of its walls. It was not difficult to guess what had this place packed to the brim, its windows ready to crack from the intensity of the music; no, there was only one thing that could cause such a scene . . .

_DOKI DOKI de koware sou sen PERCENT LOVE HEY!_

The audience of over fifty thousand spectators roared with glee at the sound of Starish, now doing their rather appealing form of a countdown on stage. As their music progressed, the fans started to faint, one by one, at the pure beauty and seductive voice of their idols. Nothing could compare to such a sound, and many could not take the overpowering feelings deep within them as they sang.

Otoya and Tokiya, really the main faces of Starish, took the front of the stage to sing their parts. It was now almost routine to them, but one that they could do endlessly if they had to. With a composer like Nanami Haruka, it was almost second nature to want to do her music. Tokiya smiled at the audiences as he sung, flashing his roommate a brief knowing smirk, only returned with an equally knowing smile of his own. It was typical, to just time yourself with your partner, and Tokiya had done it numerous times over the course of this six month tour that Starish had done across japan. With their world tour scheduled to be announced soon enough, he felt he would have many more opportunities to do so as well.

However, something was different about this time, this glance was not the same. It was as if he had seen his fellow Starish member differently. And while he couldn't quite understand it, he couldn't seem to want to take his eyes off said partner now dancing with him. With their singing part quickly approaching, he forced his eyes (with surprisingly a great deal of strength needed to do so) and returned it to the audience ahead.

_GIRIGIRI na mune no kodou_

Such few words on Otoya's part, but in that brief period, Tokiya's mind had blanked at the sound of his roommate's voice, and for the first time, Tokiya lost his lines. The music continued for all of two seconds before an accidental nudge from Otoya beside him brought the words back in an instant and his hips went side to side in a rather appealing way, mirroring Otoya's perfectly. He had never been more aware of the way Otoya's hips moved than in that instant.

_UH BABY Gouin ni naru koi no shoudou_

The duo moved quickly back into formation with the four other Starish members, and continued to sing to the song they had all known by heart.

_Douchi wo erabu? PRINCESS _

Again, Tokiya's mind blanked. All from a simple glance at Otoya's form beside him, knowing the way Otoya's body moved as he danced, fingers lightly trailing the length of his torso and waist. It was as if he had lost his head for a moment, and with that simple glance, lightheadedness came to him that nearly brought him to his knees. It was strange; he had not felt such dizziness since his having overworked himself back in the days of being both Tokiya and Hayato. But it had taken all he had to focus on the song, and glance at his partner when they sang:

_KURA KURA shichau kurai sen PERCENT LOVE_

Relief washed over him briefly when he had taken a step aside, letting the next duo sing their section of the song. A brief look was exchanged between Tokiya and Ren, something playful in the next singer's eyes that brought a wave of confusion and wariness to Tokiya; but Ren simply flashed him that winning smirk and stood beside Masato as they sang.

What had that look been that Ren gave him? Tokiya's head was reeling by this point, and the song had never seemed so long in his life. But eventually it had; with a graceful spin, Tokiya found himself in the center with Otoya once more, standing closer than normal, but somehow not close enough to the dark haired artist. His elbow bumped Otoya's, and suddenly a shock ran through him that left him paralyzed a fraction of a second. Luckily, a quick nudge back from his singing partner brought his head back to reality, and they closed the song as a group.

_Koyoi wa hora futari de sen PERCENT LOVE _

The stage went dark as their final song ended, and they were quick to jog off from the side exit. Haruka was the first to greet them, just as she was each song, with the most brilliant smile any of them had seen. "That was wonderful!" she began brightly, stepping into the embrace of her recently made boyfriend Tokiya, while having been directed at the entire group. "It was as beautiful as ever."

"You wrote it," Syo replied with a teasing elbow bump. "That's why it's so great!"

"Syo is right!" Otoya was quick to add, his mood still as exuberant as it always was, nearly doubled now from the adrenaline rush of singing. "You're a great composer!"

Haruka was a new shade of scarlet with each comment, burrowing her embarrassed face into Tokiya's white costume coat. "Thank you," she muttered, struggling not to smile like an idiot.

Tomo-chan appeared behind Otoya's shoulder, startling the singer to such a degree he had taken cover behind a rather nonchalant Tokiya. "The bus is here!" she screamed cheerfully, pecking her boyfriend Natsuki on the cheek, darkening his cheeks to a darkness equal to Haruka's. "Great job, Natsuki-chan!"

"Thanks," was all he could utter audibly, flashing a nervous but pleased smile at her.

Tokiya watched them, finding it still quite difficult to fathom (but equally amusing) the two as a full on couple. From what Haruka had told him on one of their becoming frighteningly rare moments alone together, that on a shopping trip with Tomo-chan and Haruka in the city a month or so back, Natsuki had caught Tomo-chan buying a rather strange shirt . . . a Piyo shirt for herself. It was love at (first?) sight for the singer/Piyo enthusiast.

"Let's depart, shall we?" Ren asked, his eyes specifically on the zoned out Tokiya. "I suggest we retire to my estate. It is not but a few miles up the road."

"Wonderful," Masato muttered, his somber and stoic nature resurfacing over the open and cheerful attitude singing had once given him. With a grumble, he followed Otoya and Syo out of the building, only being trailed by Ren, egging the irritation further with "friendliness" he knew was unwelcomed.

With a small flash of a smile to Haruka, still clinging to his waist, he ushered her out after all had departed, and were the last to board the rather large tour bus. Haruka was instantly pulled away, sitting down in the couch with Tomo to view some magazine that was popular among the women. Syo and Natsuki had already thrown themselves onto the beds in back, Syo not even having bothered to change. As the bus started, Tokiya sat across from Otoya at the small little eating table beside the kitchenette.

"Tokiya!" Otoya welcomed eagerly, looking up from a magazine the group had interviewed for just recently. "We made the cover!"

He couldn't resist the eye roll, finding it rather imbecile like a remark. "We were told we'd be on the cover, remember? It is why we spent six hours in a photo-shoot not even a week ago."

Otoya stumbled a moment, and nodded almost embarrassed. "Oh, right." A nervous laugh. "Well, it is cool to see us on the cover."

"It's not the first time," he remarked, a tad ruder than he had intended, but exhaustion was taking its toll on him.

"True . . . but we aren't you, Tokiya." The comment had thrown the celebrity a moment, and his head cocked to the side curiously. "We didn't get to live a double life as Hayato and have the hundreds of photo-shoots, covers for us, and the whole superstar lifestyle. This is still new to us. Even if we've been doing it for six months."

All Tokiya could manage to do was make strangled little sounds, staring uncomprehendingly at his roommate. Nothing more was said before Otoya said he was going to step into the restroom, but Tokiya was not oblivious to the true reason . . . to get away from Tokiya's lack of understanding.

At the sound of the door sliding shut behind Otoya, Tokiya turned on the white leather seat of the chair he sat in, glancing around for anyone to converse with. The girls had lost themselves in chatter of some celebrity that had a new movie premiering, and Tokiya was not ready to face the mental breakdown that would likely occur (as well as physical pain) should he interrupt such an important conversation. In the opposite direction, Ren was sitting in the small circle couch that was tucked away in the alcove just before the travel beds, Masato sliding out in front of him to make some tea. The two had been arguing (mostly Masato had been) about some slip up of Ren's in the performance. With a grumble, Masato went as far away from the still sitting Ren as possible, struggling to focus on something other than the arrogant roommate he was doomed to be stuck with.

At that moment, Ren's eyes locked with Tokiya's, and a feeling deep inside him arose, one Tokiya couldn't describe as anything other than strange, and intense. With one swift move, Ren slipped out of the alcove and sat in Otoya's previous seat, one arm rested against the window ledge, the other perched on the back of his own chair. Such a pose puffed out his chest, and really defined his muscles, something Tokiya found himself struggling not to look at. (_I've never been jealous of Ren's muscles,_ he thought to himself. _Why now?_)

"So there is a rose garden that was recently planted in part of the garden behind my mansion," Ren began disinterestedly. "Might I suggest a late night stroll? I am certain you and the Little Lamb will find it quite enjoyable."

There was something off about the almost mocking remark of Ren's, and Tokiya was certain there was something up, but what exactly he was at a loss for. "What is it you are you up to, Jinguuji?" he snapped, his eyes narrowed into suspicious slits as he stared down the eerily relaxed man before him.

"There is nothing," he replied innocently, his eyes never leaving Tokiya's. "Perhaps it is you that is beginning to get a little too paranoid. Too much stress?'

With a snort of disbelief, Tokiya fell silent at the jolt of the stopping bus. His feet went out under the table to steady himself, only to brush a little too much against Ren's. His expression changed as his blue eyes locked on Tokiya's, and a sort of knowing smile spread across his lips. "Feel free to take any of the rooms, bunk with whomever," he called to the busload of people, though his eyes remained locked on one. "My servants will accompany you to your rooms and be available for assistance at any time." With a quick nod to Tokiya, Ren was first to descend the stairs of the bus and almost breeze through the doors of his home.

"We're here already?" Syo muttered sleepily, rubbing his eyes as he struggled to hold himself up with the door frame. "How long was I asleep?"

"About ten minutes," Otoya replied considerately, patting the exhausted Syo's shoulder. "If that."

Syo grumbled, grabbing his carry-always bag and stepping off. Natsuki followed suit quickly after.

"Haruka-chan!" Tomo-chan began peppily, being so exuberant and loud with her chatter that the sound was like a nail to the head for Syo. The angry Starish boy was snapping angrily outside the bus, cursing in Japanese (all of which was ignored). "Bunk with me!" she continued. "It will be just like Saotome Academy!"

The attention startled the still shy as ever Haruka, and she only smiled and nodded. With a small wave to Tokiya, she was quickly pulled off the bus. With a soft, almost inaudible sigh, he spared a glance at his, oddly enough, best friend Otoya, knowing full well what the next question would be. "Want to be roommates?" Tokiya asked in his place.

Otoya was grinning eagerly, patting his friend's shoulder with an excited nod. "I thought you'd never ask."

The energetic boy quickly departed the bus, leaving Tokiya and Masato in his wake. The two finally departed as well, watching the crowd slowly starting to migrate inside with their luggage that had been stored in a side bin under the living space of the bus. Haruka was standing with one of the servants, offering to take her own luggage (which was quickly turned down by the warm, welcoming, older woman). "Haruka-chan," Tokiya called teasingly, smiling at the way she blushed with the title. "Come here please."

She was quick to walk over, taking his hand in hers as he kissed her forehead. "How about a stroll . . . ? Ren informed me of a rose garden somewhere on the property. I thought that you might enjoy it."

Considering his reluctance, he was aware of how much Haruka had enjoyed that particular flower (quite possibly due to all the flowers Ren had showed her with when she first stepped into their lives.) A garden of them would be heaven-sent to the child. "Tokiya, that sounds wonderful."

A smile was all he could manage as the pair started through the side gate to the garden. Oddly enough, the walk to the rather spectacular garden was less than expected. The moonlight was brilliant in contrast to the dark grass, and now slowly reviving trees. A bitter cold swept across the grounds, a clear indicator spring had yet to come, despite the trees slowly coming more to life with each second. The garden had to stretch for a good few acres, farther than his eyes could see, especially with such little light.

Something he could see? Haruka's face almost aglow with brilliance. She was certainly adorable, beautiful even. But why hadn't his heart gotten that same little flip that he always did when he did. Was that a bad thing, or was his lack of sleep what kept him from feeling much for his girlfriend.

Her fingers intertwined with his, and he watched the way she reached down to pick one of the pink roses beside them. He admired the way she brushed it's petals against her nose, and across her cheek, a look of pure innocence on her face. His hand slipped from hers, only going to wrap around her waist and pull her close. It felt good, being able to have open relationships again, thanks to their lack of restrictions like back at the academy. This felt normal, natural, comfortable.

However, oddly enough, that's really all it had felt. He loved her, he loved the way she made him feel (like he could do anything, be anything he wanted), and he was in love with her for it. But then why did it feel as though there was something missing? More of a spark maybe? Perhaps that's just because of the rocky start they had, and that could change, grow . . . right?

"Tokiya," she murmured, twirling in his arms to face him, brushing the rose against his nose and lips. She hadn't said the words at that moment like normal, but her soft, gentle tone was enough for the words to get across. _I love you_.

He could only smile, leaning in and letting his nose skim across the length of her jaw, going to kiss her cheek and whisper her name deep into her own ear. He felt her shudder against him, and he started smile even wider. Without further wait, he pulled back to see her face, slowly leaning in for the kiss he'd been longing for since the start of that evening's concert.

Luck was not on his side that evening, and their attention was brought back to something else before their lips could meet. "Uh-uh-uh!" Shining Saotome said, suddenly beside them.

The abruptness and proximity of their former principle scared both of them, Haruka being so startled she let loose a blood curdling scream that cut through the silent night like a knife, and instantly went behind Tokiya for protection. "Saotome! Where did you come from?" he snapped, struggling to see the full details of the man before him.

The husky almost cackle of the principle was the biggest give away, and he stared at them from over his sunglasses (the glasses that seemed to be glued to his face, even in the darkness of night). Before he could reply, a rush of people had come out, two guards with shotguns, followed by a robed Ren and the fellow Starish members. The guns pointed at the principle, who hardly seemed to blink at the action. Ren and them all froze at the sight of him, and Ren was quick to call off the weapons. "Saotome!" he snapped, suddenly very un-Ren like. "What are you doing on my estate, at this hour no less? How did you even get onto the premises?"

"Music has no limits," he replied, arms spread as he spun around in the darkness.

Otoya had come to stand beside his best friend and his girlfriend, one hand on each of their shoulders. "Are you all right, Haruka-chan?" he asked softly.

"She is fine," Saotome answered for her, meeting their gaze. "But you all will not be when you hear my news. Especially those in relationships!" A menacing chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Tokiya asked, his tone now even and expression composed.

"As your publicist and such, I have decided it was in the best interest of all you children, which many of you are still, have to attend Saotome Academy one more year!"

It had taken a moment for all of them to understand, and they stared at him with blank expressions. "We're going back to school?" Tomo-chan finally asked, her tone both breathless and excited.

"That you are indeed. The world tour is cancelled indefinitely until such has happened. You start in two weeks, the first week of April, with everyone else. When school is over, the tour will be rescheduled."

Their expressions differed from thrilled, to irritated, to uncaring. Tokiya was among the uncaring, along with Masato and Syo. Ren however, had never looked more irritated in his life. The only ones enthusiastic seemed to be Otoya, Natsuki, Haruka, and Tomo-chan, for reasons Tokiya couldn't fathom. He met her eyes, and Haruka was all smiles. It was upon meeting her eyes that the lack of excitement in Tokiya finally made sense. "Wait . . . does this mean Tokiya and I cannot . . ."

"Be together . . . yes," Saotome said. "However . . ."

All met his eyes, and a look of hope stirred. "However . . .?" Tokiya asked, his tone demanding for an answer.

"Due to your circumstances and situation . . . I would be willing to turn the other cheek. I will not be telling your teachers though! So anything caught by them, well, that is your own fault. I will overlook it, but they will expel you on the spot." He met Tokiya and Natsuki's eyes, as if he had known all along it was them with the relationships. "So I suggest being very indiscrete with your infatuations."

Before anyone could object further he had seem to slip into the darkness, and suddenly his cackling was what sounded like a mile away. The teens exchange utterly bewildered glances, before some started to chatter on exuberantly. Tomo-chan's grabbed his face, eagerly kissing Natsuki, and said, "Yay! Natsuki-chan! We don't have to break up!"

Natsuki had hardly heard a word, too frozen in a stunned bliss state and seemed to just fall to the ground like jello slipping through her fingers. Otoya pat Tokiya's shoulder, congratulating them on the very same thing before quickly retreating inside with the perplexed Ren and Masato.

With a soft peck to the cheek, Haruka said she was thrilled about it as well and followed Tomo-chan inside for the evening. _Is this a good thing . . . or bad thing_? he thought to himself, his fingers brushing against the rose petals with the gentlest of caresses. But it was still too much. One petal fell, floating down with a slow descend. Tokiya watched it settle between his feet, and contemplated the possibility of that being an omen.

Reluctantly, he slipped the rose into his pocket, careful not to damage any more petals, and went to scoop the still fainted Natsuki with Syo. _This is going to be a long year . . . _


	2. Chapter One

"Tokiya!" the red-haired boy said exuberantly. "This is so great! Roommates again! This is going to be so exciting."

"Mmm," Tokiya muttered rather darkly, not glancing up from the closet as he hung his last school blazer on the bar.

"I promise I won't be loud or a burden like last year," Otoya began, setting his most prized possession on its pedestal by the mat he'd declared his music station. "I'll be as quiet as a mouse."

Another silence came from Tokiya, whose mind was now far beyond the limits of their bedroom walls, somewhere he himself didn't understand anymore. The only keeping him tied to the ground was the sound of a babbling Otoya in the back of his mind.

"Tokiya-chan!" Otoya called, snapping the now glaring Tokiya from his thoughts. "That got your attention."

"Must you call me '-chan'?" the older male asked, exasperated.

"It gets your attention, does it not?" A dark glare, only served to encourage the teasing smile onto Otoya's lips. "Let's go to the cafeteria! Haruka and Tomo-chan are probably already down there."

"Fine," Tokiya muttered, giving his side of the room one last glance over for imperfections. He had never realized how OCD he could be until then as he made sure that every last paper and pencil had been perfectly aligned, there was not a wrinkle on his bed, and not a spec of life actually proving someone had lived on that side.

He glanced over to his roommate's side, seeing the bed still unmade, blankets folded on top with the bedspread and pillow cases. For the most part, it was fairly clean, save for Otoya's school blazer thrown onto the edge of the bed and his shoes scattered at the foot of it. Tokiya must have been rubbing off on the once rather messy child.

"Tokiya," said redhead called, his tone hinting at the faint concern for his roommate. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah," the older male murmured again, following Otoya out without another word.

It was a fairly quiet walk down to the cafeteria, and a brief one at that, being their room had been so close to the cafeteria. While his eyes may have been straight ahead, he could feel Otoya sneaking peeks at him from the corner of his eye. Perhaps with concern at the boy's lack of focus that morning, perhaps for some other reasons Tokiya was unaware of. But he was less concerned with those reasons at the moment, and focused on his walk.

With little to no effort, the boys found the girls at one table toward the center with Natsuki and Syo at their sides. Haruka and Syo had their backs to them, and had been the last to see them enter. Unlike Tomo-chan and Natsuki close beside her, who had instantly waved eagerly at their approach.

"Tokiya-chan! Why so serious?" Tomo-chan inquired, giggling at the scowl that had formed on his face.

"I will not even reply to that," the dark-haired boy grumbled, sitting beside Haruka as she and Syo scooted over.

"He is a bit mindless today," Otoya explained to them, planting himself across from his roommate. "He's hardly said a word to me all morning."

"Did you do something?" Tomo-chan asked curiously, leaning toward Otoya almost conspiratorially.

Nervousness crossed Otoya's expression as her question, and he glanced over to Tokiya for an answer. "No, Otoya, you haven't," he finally said.

Relief and a smile crossed the boy's face, and he nodded comprehendingly. "Good."

With a discrete move, Haruka's hand went under the table, intertwining her fingers with Tokiya as they lay relaxed in his lap. The touch calmed him the faintest bit, but he found himself still zoning out. This time, he could understand, and even identify what was so easily pulling his thoughts away from the people before him.

It was Ren's smirk and the look in his blue eyes that night of the performance a few weeks back. Whatever he had been mentally communicating to his fellow Starish member had not gotten across with that simple glance, and the curiosity was getting the better of Tokiya. What had the look meant? And why was it always the same look being given every time Ren and Tokiya even crossed paths since.

There was something knowing about his gaze, something even almost challenging . . . did Ren have intentions to challenge Tokiya for Haruka's affection? It was very obvious he had an interest when she had first come onto the scene. But after six months of seeing her interest was focused entirely on Tokiya, he had assumed that Ren would get the picture. Was this a sign Tokiya's assumption was wrong?

"The Little Lamb is getting very nervous about your silence," Ren's rather deep voice murmured into Tokiya's ear, actually startling him. Tokiya jumped the faintest bit, throwing a scowl in the direction of Ren as he forcefully shoved himself onto the bench seat beside him. "What troubles your thoughts?"

"_You,"_ he thought to himself, waving his hand dismissively to the question. "I am fine."

"Are you really?" Ren murmured, his eyes narrowing into almost mocking slits as he stared down the man beside him.

Something in those eyes, eyes so vast they looked like they went further into his soul than humanly possible, made Tokiya shudder. It was a blueness so crystal clear it could only be compared to the brilliance of a calm ocean, in a place so pure it had to be untouched by mankind itself.

The intensity left Tokiya actually paralyzed, eyes locked on Ren's, despite the internal protests. He couldn't pull his gaze away from Ren's face in general, let alone those hypnotizing blue eyes. Was he always so easily distracted? Tokiya had never noticed this about himself.

"Tokiya," Tomo-chan finally called, pulling his gaze away from Ren's, to his great relief.

His head was dizzy, and he found it almost difficult to blink, as if doing so would wipe away the image of those eyes from his mind. "What?"

"Are you sure you're all right?" Haruka asked in Tomo-chan's place, staring up at her boyfriend with a concerned look.

"I'm fine," he said simply, the once very common stoic nature returning instantly.

"Might I suggest we make our way to class?" Ren added, his gaze darting between Syo and Tokiya.

"Fine," the two replied, nodding farewell to the group before departing, and flanking Ren the entire way.

As they stepped into the classroom, the two had broken off from Ren at the sight of his quickly being bombarded by fangirls. "Such a lady's man," Syo remarked bitterly as he sat in the seat in front of Tokiya, spinning around to converse. "You okay? Haruka-chan is worried."

"I'm fine." He spared a brief glance at Ren, watching the way he towered over the women swooning over him. As if sensing the new onlooker, Ren's eyes briefly locked on Tokiya's, that same flirtatious smirk on his lips. The look startled Tokiya, and all he managed was small strangled sounds before turning away.

"He's always been a flirt," Masato said, scaring the heck out of a distracted Syo. He hardly blinked at the now ranting child and focused his gaze on Ren. "He's a womanizer."

"When the heck did you get here!" Syo snapped, scowling at Masato for having startled him. "How did you even get into this class after bell?"

The look Masato gave showed his lack of caring instantly, so stoic he would have come off as almost statue-like to anyone not close enough to see him blinking. Tokiya could read his expression easily, being he was quite similar to him on the matter of an indifferent nature. "You're part of the S class now?"

A simple nod was all Tokiya received before Masato silently settled himself in the desk beside his distant minded friend. It was almost instantly that Ren was back to the trio, glancing down with a false smile at his roommate. "Masa . . . you're in this class?"

"So it would seem," he replied simply, his eyes never leaving the front of the classroom.

Ren simply chuckled at the dullness of Masato's response, and settled for not remarking anymore on the subject. With a brief look at the two watching the tense interaction, Ren relaxed into the chair behind Masato, and smirked at Syo and Tokiya. There was an evident edginess about them all, one that seemed to only fill the room with the dark feeling. For them having been the most popular group in the music industry, and so close to each other before, something was very different all could see, something different about them that no one could understand . . . even to the ones causing the tension.

xxx

The days seem to blur together faster than Tokiya thought possible. The routine of having to deal with classes was quickly growing more monotonous by the hour, but the tension slowly started to die along with the excitement. Before he could register it, April was at an end. A month had passed of class, and it was startling to him.

But even with routineness, surprises manage to find their way in.

"This is big, so listen up," Hyuuga-sensei snapped, slamming his hand against the desk with enough force it cracked. The class fell silent. "Right, now, Saotome has given us teachers word that you have a dance─"

Chatter instantly started to rise, lingering at a mere whisper briefly. "A dance?" Masato finally said on their behalf. "We aren't allowed to be romantically involved. Dances are just screaming for us to be romantic."

"Is this some form of legal torture the school is looking to take up?" Syo added with a whine. "This is not fair."

Multiple students grumbled along, their voices starting to mesh together into a harmonious complaint.

"Silence!" An eerie stillness suddenly filled the room, all focused on the teacher. "Now, if you hadn't interrupted me, I would have explained that Saotome is lifting the rules . . . for that one night!"

"We can get real dates?" Syo asked exuberantly, already dancing in his seat at the news. "Yes!"

"However . . ." A collective groan arose in the classroom. "Nothing beyond hugging is permitted."

"So kissing our dates goodnight is entirely forbidden?" Ren inquired, winking suggestively to the women that had their eyes locked on him. To Tokiya's surprise, two fainted at the sight.

"Kissing is very much forbidden."

"That's fine!" Syo quickly added before Ren could reply, sparing a brief glare in his direction. "Dates are better than nothing!"

"A good mindset," Hyuuga-sensei remarked before letting them prattle on about the upcoming dance.

Syo spun so quickly in his seat, it startled Tokiya, but he easily concealed it behind the mask of indifference. "Can you believe this? Real dates!"

Masato shrugged uncaringly, his eyes locked on his notebook at he started to jot something down. "My interest lies on the reasoning behind it."

"What do you mean?"

His eyes briefly darted to Syo and back down. "Why suddenly give us a dance? Why suspend the rules of dating for one night?"

Tokiya contemplated the questions for a moment, slowly nodding in understanding. "It is rather strange," he said simply.

"Strange and different . . . but that's life," Ren murmured, his eyes locking on Tokiya. "Why fight it?"

Perhaps it was Tokiya's thinking too much of things, or perhaps it was that the same look that seemed to always be haunting Ren's eyes was now very evident, but there was no denying there had been a double meaning deep within the remark.

The rest of that afternoon consisted of nothing but chatter about the newest formal event, currently scheduled for two weeks from that current date. As Tokiya approached his friends in the courtyard, now chatting casually, he was half tempted to turn around at the very mention of that dance again.

But the chance had escaped. "Tokiya-san," Haruka greeted him warmly, her fingers brushing his discretely at his approach. "Did you hear the news of the dance?"

Otoya and Syo had smiled excitedly at him, leaving him no chance to answer. "Of course he has. That's why he's grumpy," Syo explained.

Haruka's expression fell briefly, but his smile reassured her otherwise. "I hope you'll be accompanying me that night, Haruka-chan" he murmured, resisting the urge to lean in and nuzzle her neck.

Her cheeks went a shade darker, leaving her wordless. A shy smile and nod was all she managed to do.

"Jinguuji-san!" the girls cried, circling around him like flies to a light. "Ask me to the dance!" the begged, more harmonious then they had intended.

Ren let the rose, a soft pink one that looked identical to the one he had last year at the time of graduation song partner, brush against his lips and nose as he teased the women. "Ladies, I have intentions to ask someone soon. This rose will have the luck of caressing their lips; much to my dismay, I will not have the same privilege."

The girls seemed to start dropping like flies at the simplicity of his words, swooning faster than it had taken for Otoya and the group nearby to comprehend his words. "He gets all the luck," Otoya remarked, running his fingers through his thick red hair.

"I beg to differ," Tokiya remarked, smiling down at his blushing girlfriend once more, enjoying the way her cheeks color darkened.

Masato tensed at Tokiya's side and all watched as Ren came to stand close behind the distracted Tokiya. ""You sure are lucky, Ichi, to have won the little lamb. But I hope you don't mind me giving this to you, _princess_?" Ren said lowly into Tokiya's ear, pressing the rose against the other male's lips.

Nothing could be said before the suggestive male let the rose relax in Tokiya's grasp, and strolled away without a word. The on looking women stared at the stunned Tokiya with looks that varied from confused, to turned on, to outright furious.

"I thought he said he would be giving that rose to the girl he wanted!" one remarked bitterly, but her tone carrying the remark to the group's ears.

"I thought he said that too," Otoya added, staring at the silent and utterly lost Tokiya who had been observing the rose.

"I think Haruka just lost her date for the dance," muttered an impressed Tomo-chan, smirking at the look of pure confusion on the older-male's face. "Tokiya!" she called, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"Huh?" He stared down at the rose still delicately in his hand, eyes going far too big to be physically possible. "Did he just . . ."

"It must have been a joke," Otoya explained, eyeing the rose with a curious gaze. "Does it squirt water or something?"

The possibility registered in Tokiya's mind, and his hand instantly stretched out, holding it a great distance from his face. Haruka was silent at his side, head angled in a curious manner. All eyes turned to Masato, hoping he could rectify the situation, and settle the misperception. "Ren is a flirt, and a tease," he explained, his eyes locked on the departing roommate of his. "He is messing with Tokiya's head."

A word could hardly be uttered before the eerily sharp tongued Masato disappeared from the group, walking in the opposite direction Ren had gone. One by one, all eyes returned to Tokiya, contemplating the words carefully.

Syo and Otoya gave each other inquisitive glances before returning to the prior conversation. Tomo-chan was quick to rejoin as well. Haruka smiled up at Tokiya, and he could sense her watching the rose carefully. Without a second though, he slipped it into the pockets, careful about each movement (so not to cause harm to it), and decided perhaps Masato had been correct. _"He's just messing with me. Simple as that . . . Right?"_


	3. Chapter Two

Music pumped, Starish music of all things, to such a degree the windows of the ballroom shook. Otoya bopped his head to the upbeat tone, enjoying the way the melody sounded, while Syo and Natsuki listened with a stiller stance then their fellow Starish member. "Is it just me," Syo began. "Or is it really strange hearing yourself blasting on the stereos?"

Otoya and Natsuki nodded, but couldn't help enjoying the music for what it was. Tokiya and Haruka quickly approached, his arm around her waist to hold her as close to him as possible. They had certainly been taking advantage of the "no dating" rule being uplifted for the evening.

The boys all exchanged a look, comparing ensembles. Ironically enough, they had all worn something along the same lines. Black suits, with ties of a different color. Otoya had settled on a sharp red, something along the lines of scarlet, with a rose boutonniere of a similar color. Syo however had gone with a light purple tie, with darker purple diagonal stripes through. His rose was a paler purple, and contrasted greatly against the black of his own suit. Natsuki how followed Otoya's train of thought, settling on his respective color of yellow, with a brilliant yellow rose, and the tie to match.

Syo's eyes darted between the love birds, who had been exchanging flirtatious (but still somehow shy) little smiles since their arrival. Eventually, Tokiya noticed the staring, and focused on the boy before him. "Is something funny?" he inquired, watching the way a smirk played at the edge of Syo's lips.

"Huh? Oh nothing." His eyes focused on the boutonniere Tokiya wore. "That rose looks an awful lot like the one Ren gave you." All eyes, including Syo's, focused on Tokiya. "Something I'm missing?"

The mocking tone of his fellow Starish member brought a dark scowl onto the interrogated male's features, but he was considerate enough not to let it slip into his tone as well. "It matched Haruka's dress."

Otoya and Natsuki both glanced over at Haruka, taking in what she had worn for the first time since her approach. A stunning Chiffon floor-length evening gown, with spaghetti straps and jewels that went across the edge of her sweetheart neckline. The one thing they really took notice of, however, was the color. Tokiya had been correct; it was a soft pink, nearly identical to the color of his boutonniere and tie.

"Mmm," Syo muttered darkly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. To everyone's surprise, he shrugged the subject off with a simple wave and shoved his hands uncaringly into his pants pockets. "Speak of the devil . . ."

All were quick to glance up at the newest additions to their circle. Masato and Ren approached, Masato in a navy suit, while Ren wore a white one, with a grey vest concealed beneath. His rose and tie were a brilliant shade of orange, something along the lines of a fire color, only matching all too well with his long veil of perfect hair. Masato however, was a little more average with his ensemble, the most outgoing about him this evening being the shade of his rose and tie. It was a softer blue that could be comparable to baby blue, or even aquamarine.

Ren's eyes glanced from face to face, settling last on Tokiya and his boutonniere. He smiled, or rather smirked, and simply said, "Lovely flower, Tokiya-kun."

Tokiya rolled his eyes at the remark, and ushered a giggling Haruka inside. The ballroom was dimmed, nothing but stage lights waving aimlessly, creating a rainbow of colors that made the room sparkle. Everyone was quick to scatter around, finding dance partners from the sadly single women and chatting with fellow classmates. Haruka shifted awkwardly, knowing what to expect, but her nervousness was not easily concealed. The thought brought a smile to Tokiya's lips, and he couldn't help admiring how cute she could be when she was nervous. His hand instantly went out, offering it to her. "May I have this dance?"

Her cheeks went to a shade of red that would have made Otoya's rose look pale in comparison. "Sure," she murmured, letting him lead her to the dance floor.

If Tokiya had thought her cheeks to be bright before, he was certainly wrong. She blushed even brighter as his hand rested delicately at the small of her back, the other clasping her hand for a perfect waltz. The next hour, the duo had only parted from each other a total of perhaps two minutes, sometimes settling to simply swaying back rather than waste the time with the others. It was the only chance the two could be together, both were aware of this, and once the clock struck midnight, the two would have to return to being "secret" with their affections toward each other.

To Tokiya's dismay, their time was cut short with a simple tap of his shoulder. Both their gazes turned to focus on the intruder, a shorter male, with short silky brown hair. "May I cut in?" he inquired, his tone low and seductive to a point it even made Tokiya weak at the knees.

His green eyes darted from Tokiya to Haruka, a knowing look being exchanged that confused Tokiya greatly. "Who are you?" he remarked, tone more curious rather than defensive.

"Cecil-sama!" Haruka greeted eagerly, smiling like that of a child seeing a long-lost relative.

The man smiled warmly, looking almost embarrassed by the title. "I think Cecil is more fitting, Haruka-chan."

"Cecil-san," she murmured, smiling eagerly at her boyfriend. "It's fine, Tokiya. If you want."

To Tokiya's great surprise, the offer didn't offend him as much as it should have. Typically, a male requesting a dance with his girlfriend would have irritated the singer, but no jealousy even sparked at the sight of such an attractive pursuer. Perhaps it was because he trusted Haruka, to not give in to the temptation of other men. At least, that's what he told himself.

With a quick nod of agreement, he stepped back, waving for this Cecil fellow step in. "I'll be on the balcony," he murmured in her ear before striding away.

It seemed as if in only three or four strides Tokiya had reached the cool breeze of one of the open terraces, letting his hands grip the stone railing and watch the moon play hide-and-seek with the clouds. Every so often, a brilliant streak of moonlight would illuminate the night sky, and the trees and field beyond the academy campus would just seem to sparkle with droplets of last night's mist of rain still lingering on the leaves. It was such a beautiful sight that Tokiya couldn't bear to even look at it any longer.

With one swift turn, he faced back in the direction of the French doors, watching the way his Haruka chatted playfully with a chuckling Cecil half way into the dance floor. An innocent enough expression was in her eyes, and something knowing. The boy must have been an old friend, Tokiya was sure of it. One thing he was certain of though, her interest was not one of those that lead him to think romantic; hardly any interest of that sort even twinkled in her eye. He watched on, watching the way she actually reached up and scratched behind his ear, as though the fellow had been nothing but a stray cat or something. Cecil, however, seemed to enjoy it. _Well that is not strange at all . . . _

Faintly disturbed by the sight, he changed his line of sight, looking through the other windows in search of his friends. Otoya and Syo had two dance partners, some girls from the S class, but none seemed to care of class at that moment. Carefree expressions were on the boys' faces, but it was evident that Otoya did not have that sort of interest in the women, either of them. Syo however, looked hopeful of a something more sparking between one of them, either of them.

On the opposite side of the ballroom stood a scowling Masato, with a woman he had not entered with. Tall, leggy woman with cascading brunette hair that contrasted nicely against her creamy skin. Not far from them stood a rather laid back, and dateless Ren, looking at though he were making remarks at the other male, with the intention of irking him.

As if he could sense Tokiya's gaze suddenly on him, Ren's eyes shifted directions. His gaze zeroed in on his instantly, holding it for what felt like eternity before Tokiya had to force himself to glance elsewhere, anywhere, as long as it was not at Ren. His hands returned to the railing, and he just stared down at the grass, watching it twinkle. Only a few seconds seemed to pass before the clicking of shoes against the stone balcony reached his ears, and his fingers instantly tightened around the bar.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" Ren started, sounding almost too casual and apathetic.

"I suppose so," Tokiya muttered back, forcing his gaze to return forward rather than his companion, staring off at the horizon. "No date for this evening?"

"I made the offer, but no reply was ever given." His lips twitched with a smirk, as far as Tokiya's peripheral vision could show. "I see your date has found a new dancing partner."

"An old friend."

A long silence extended from a mere second well into the double digits. Against Tokiya's better judgment, he allowed his gaze to focus on Ren, if only to be polite while conversing. The sudden proximity startled the singer, and he couldn't help stumbling back a step or two; Ren instantly moved forward as well, but with a smoothness that made it so indiscrete it was almost impossible to see the movement at first. "You seem tense," he remarked.

"I'm fine," Tokiya lied, noting how he could feel Ren's body temperature through his suit, the intensity of it only making his own rise along with his pulse.

Ren's hand brushed mindlessly against the front of his suit, and Tokiya watched the way those blue eyes gave him the full once over playfully. The scrutiny unnerved him, and he felt his tie suddenly constricting around his throat. He instinctively went to loosen it, trying to shrug off the feeling with a simple shift of his posture.

"Ichi, you should loosen up a bit," he began, shifting even closer than he had been before. "You seem to be doing a number on your tie there."

Ren's fingers curled around his own, and with the simplest touch, Tokiya's fingers loosened enough to let the other male pull his hand free of the tie. With the movement, Ren used the chance to move even closer, his body slowly starting to press against Tokiya's in way that flustered him to a serious degree. "What are you doing?" Tokiya muttered, watching the flirt start to lean in.

His soft lips brushed against Tokiya's ear, hand still clasped around the tie to lock the two together in a way that made Tokiya's blood pressure almost double instantaneously. Breath sweet and cool, brushing against his skin like an angel's caress, he listened as Ren whispered with an unintentionally seductive tone, "A simple red rose, so fragrant and supple, brushed on you gently, caresses shared by a couple. A simple red rose, when given away, is a whispered reminder, of words I long to say..."

Tokiya gulped with an inadvertent nervousness, praying his fellow Starish member would back away now. Though, if he was being honest, he longed for Ren to continue, to whisper more sweet words, to continue that thought. What had the longed words been? Then his own thoughts registered within his own mind, and he couldn't help internally screaming, _"What on earth am I thinking?_ "

His hand forced itself between his own chest and the murmuring tempter before him, forcing himself to push the male back with any and all strength he possessed. But as he stared Ren down, struggling to see what had been going on in that head of his through those brilliant blue eyes, he couldn't help repeating the poem in his head. Ren's voice had been mirroring that seductive tone he so frequently used with the women he flirted with, the same alluring touch as his fingers had slipped from the tie and slowly started brushed against his chest.

Before a word could be uttered from either male, Ren slipped his fingers away from the firm chest of his friend and shoved them carelessly into his trouser pockets before strolling away. Not even a moment later, Haruka sauntered onto the balcony, smiling as she watched a little black cat scamper away beside her. With a quick leap from the balcony, onto a nearby tree, and down to the ground, it disappeared into the darkness. "How cute!" she complimented, watching it dart into the tree line not far off. "Are you ready to come back inside?" she inquired, turning to meet the gaze of a blushing, heavily breathing, and utterly startled Tokiya. "Tokiya-san? Are you all right?"

His gaze shot from the rather calm and cheerful Ren inside, to his concerned girlfriend standing before him. "I just . . . Nothing, nevermind. I'm fine. Let's return inside, before you get sick."

She could hardly pronounce a word before he took her hand and pulled her inside, in the entirely opposite direction of his previous conversation companion. Though, that does dismiss the fact Ren had his eyes focused entirely on the couple as the settled in the dance floor, seeming to ignore a chattering Syo and a silent Masato beside him. The intensity of his gaze startled the dark haired man, and he struggled to keep his eyes focused on the woman in his arms, and not on the feelings that arose at the very thought of his conversation with Ren outside.

Tokiya's ear still tickled with the cool breath that had been Ren's flirtatious whisper, the coolness like a caress that he could still feel even now. His chest continued to tingle where Ren's fingers had skimmed, and he could remotely feel it still through the clothes.

Haruka could practically see the sweat drop forming on the nervous face of the man now holding her in his arms, watching the way his eyes darted discretely to the side when he had thought she was not looking, but she had made no remark of it. Throughout the rest of the evening, few questioned what had tensed the singer to such a degree, and he was quick to dismiss anyone who was even considering such an action.

As the night came to a close, Tokiya and Haruka breezed out of the doors to the ballroom with a yawning Otoya and Syo, leaning against each other to support their exhausted selves. Natsuki and his cuddling Tomo-chan in his arms followed quickly after, but were the first to part from the group with a quick wave farewell.

The final few students processed out; three being Ren, Masato and a woman that he had asked to accompany him for the evening. A soft bump to the shoulder, something playful and almost teasing, was all Ren dared do to Tokiya as he passed, though it was quite evident he longed to do more. "Good evening everyone," he murmured in that eerily seductive tone of his, though his eyes focused entirely on Tokiya. "This certainly was . . . exciting."

A small wink, so discrete under the veil of long auburn hair he sported, Tokiya almost missed that it had been directed at him. A strangled stutter was all that was uttered from his frozen lips as he watched Ren traipse away. Tokiya couldn't help quickly glance down at Haruka, curious and nervous to see if she'd noticed. Thankfully, she had been fast asleep against his chest, and finally noticed that he was the one supporting her. She had not even been aware Ren had been there to begin with.

Otoya was snoring softly against Syo, who to Tokiya's great dismay had seen the entire thing. Now wide awake, he stared between the departing Ren and a blushing Tokiya. Before Syo could mutter anything more than a stern and apprehensive, "Toookiyaaa," the older male muttered a quick goodnight to all and urged his girlfriend awake, making a quick escape.

After having walked Haruka safely to her door, sparking a quick peck to her lips (with great discretion of course), Tokiya made his way back to his room. Already sound asleep, still dressed in his party ensemble, was the worn out Otoya in his respective bed. To his surprise, the sight was both amusing, and adorable. As the redhead curled up into the fetal position, hugging his pillow as he slept, his face scrunched to such a point he looked like a sleeping toddler again. The sight entertained Tokiya, and relieved him from the stress of his thoughts and evening, if only for a moment.

With a careful hand, he slipped the jacket off Otoya . . . a rather remarkable feat considering the circumstances of it, and succeeding entirely. After the also successful removal of the surprisingly heavy sleeper's shoes and tie as well, Tokiya slipped the covers almost tenderly over the slumbering form of his best friend and processed to undress himself for bed.

His head reeled from the entire night, his thoughts especially lingering at the memory of his brief encounter with Ren. Almost instinctively, his fingers went to his now bare chest, feeling the tingle of Ren's touch still there as he stared at himself in the bathroom vanity mirror.

Tokiya wanted to smack himself for dwelling on the subject, and forced his thoughts to how beautiful Haruka had looked that evening, anything to keep himself from thinking of that event, or why he had been concentrating on nothing but that moment for that matter.

With a huff of irritation, at himself mostly, he slipped his cotton crew neck pajama shirt on, followed by his plaid sweats, and collapsed onto his own bed. His exhaustion finally hit him, and he grumbled into his pillow upon shutting off the lights.

His body trembled, shuttering with an emotion he couldn't comprehend, and all from simply thinking about his still tingling skin and the poem still ringing like a broken record in his ear. Eventually, with great effort on his part, he finally drifted to sleep. But it was not without a dream of the one thing that seemed to be haunting his thoughts lately. His dreams appeared to be asking the questions he himself couldn't do. Would he ever find out the reasons behind Ren's strange behavior, or his own as well? Was he crazy, or was Ren doing what Tokiya thought him to be doing: in fact coming on to _him_, rather than Haruka? No, he must have been foolish, for even thinking that to be a possibility.

The night drug on, and finally sleep had decided to be hateful to the man. As he lay in his bed, staring up at the gray ceiling with endless questions in his head, his eyes instinctively stared over at his shelf close by. The rose Ren had given, (the soft pink rose that looked as though it still had a ways to go before it was in full bloom, picked too early to reach its full potential, but still just as beautiful) sat squarely in the center of the shelf. Still as crisp and brilliant as the day Ren had given it to him.

A tease, something to mess with Tokiya was what Masato had said. But two weeks later, as he stared down the rose (which looked as though not a day had passed for that young bud) he began to wonder if maybe there was something more to it.

"You're crazy," Tokiya muttered to himself aloud. "There's nothing more to it."

Even to his own ears, the words sounded empty and entirely false . . . then what did that mean for the clueless Starish star now?


	4. Chapter Three

A soft melody was all you could hear as the boy sat in his music space, strumming effortlessly away at the perfectly tuned strings of his coveted acoustic guitar. He loved the feel of it, the firm base against his chest and almost so fitting for his shape that it was as though it were a puzzle piece made specifically to be perfect for him. His hands glided over the surface as it was cradled in his arms when he played, plucking a few times to test the sound. Hundreds of songs had been swirling around in that typically airy mind of his, each trying to be the most prominent and noticeable in hopes of being played by those musical fingers he possessed.

But this was not a time of playing for the simple pleasure of playing. No; one song had struck his mind more than the rest, a new one he had not come across before. It was an entirely new song, one just begging him to be written. Over past days, the boy had been setting aside hours a night to complete the melody, to bring that rather poignant, but still gentle and engaging song to paper. Now, after almost a week of having been working on this, it was nearly complete, save a few lyrics here and there.

Otoya chewed aimlessly at the side of his pencil, ignoring the tiny flecks of yellow paint in his mouth at the action. His mind had been far off, repeating different lyrics in his head over and over again until he found the perfect combination. Such mindlessness left him blind to the door being opened, and a casual, almost bored looking Syo sauntering in.

"Otoya," he began nonchalantly. "What are you doing on this incredibly rainy day?"

The question startled the boy, and his head instantly shot up from the notebook to glance at the window. It had been unbelievably gloomy outside, not a streak of sun noticeable through the thick fog of clouds or sheet of rain that had been pouring down without fail. With a quick peek over to his nightstand, he saw the time for what it was. It had felt like a mere few hours since he had started this. Now, it was late into the mid-morning, the clock minutes from reaching noon. Had he really been working so diligently that he lost track of six hours?

"I was just writing some lyrics. I didn't even see the time. When did it start raining?"

"About eight this morning." Syo glanced over Otoya's shoulder as he towered over the sitting redhead, reading the lyrics that seem to take up page upon page. "How long have you been writing?"

"Since about six this morning," Otoya answered honestly, shutting the notebook and returning the guitar to its rightful place. "I couldn't sleep with Tokiya shuffling around this morning. So I got up too, and just continued writing."

The visitor's eyes glanced around the room, measuring one side in particular.

"Where is our dear Tokiya anyway?"

"Tokiya had to see his old publicist or something. He is a family friend and was ill for a while. Saotome gave him and Haruka-chan permission to leave for the day to go visit him."

The answer was simple and truthful, but it didn't keep the suspicious looking Syo from tipping his fedora just the faintest bit as he continued his scan of Tokiya's room side. His black polished fingers brushed against the books on the close shelf, sliding down the dustless area and hesitating on something that startled him greatly.

"Isn't that the rose from the dance last weekend?"

Otoya spared a quick second to examine what Syo had meant, hardly giving it a moment of thought before he returned to his putting the notebook away in the desk.

"No, that was there before I think."

A long, contemplative silence dragged on as the boy thought back. His eyes, the entire time, focused on the now withering pink rose.

"Like . . . Ren's rose?"

"Maybe," was all the response Syo received.

His fingers drummed mindlessly on the edge of the shelf, before grumbling with an internal debate as he settled himself on the edge of the bed he stood beside. Otoya tried to remain silent, to not remark that Tokiya would kill him should he come in and find Syo on his perfectly made bed.

Syo broke the long silence first, muttering, "Something is going on between Ren and Tokiya. I know it."

The redhead's head cocked curiously to the side, and he sensed this would be a story long explanation. Without a second though, he relaxed onto his bed, resting his head on his arms as he waited for the clarification.

"Something like what? Like they're trying to break off from Starish?"

The accuser contemplated that a moment, but eventually shook his head with denial.

"No, something else. You didn't see them at the dance that night. When we were leaving, Ren came out and, I don't know, winked at Tokiya. I was sure of it!"

Otoya fell silent a moment, trying to picture such a sight.

"Does a wink mean something?"

Syo's palm smacked firmly against his own forehead, and he grumbled at having to explain further.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I saw them on the balcony earlier that night. I couldn't see entirely what they were doing. Ren blocked most of my sight. But I saw Ren lean in, and I guess whisper something? Kiss his cheek? Something! I know I saw something!"

The dumbfounded look continued to remain chiseled onto the boy's face as he stared a rambling Syo down, nothing but a strangled stutter audible from his lips a moment.

"You sound like you are accusing Tokiya and Ren of something romantic."

"I don't know . . . but something fishy is definitely going on." A soft sigh escaped his faintly parted lips. "I just don't want Haruka-chan to get hurt. She is our friend too."

Otoya was not blind to the truth behind those blue eyes of his blonde friend; he saw that Syo felt more than the simple "overprotective friend" feelings he should be for their favorite composer. If he was being honest, he couldn't blame the boy. Haruka had changed all of their lives, and they all had felt something a bit more than the average friend would. Otoya probably more than all of them, save for Tokiya.

However, as the months progressed, and their friendship showed itself for what it was (simply friendship), Otoya could see there were not as many feelings as he thought. Simple infatuation with what was new and exciting, not quite love like he had thought. Evidently Syo had yet to see that in his own situation.

The door suddenly swung open and a soaked Tokiya strolled in. His blue-gray hoodie sat draped nicely over his left forearm. The rain had dampened his hair entirely; the short locks clung to his glistening face, as did the white Oxford he wore to his muscles and chest. There was something intriguing, and rather fascinating about the look Tokiya sported, and it grasped the attention of his roommate almost without effort. His blue eyes instantly locked with Otoya's, seeming distant and uninterested entirely.

"Welcome back, Tokiya!" the boy said exuberantly, sitting up to watch the older male step into the room routinely. "How was your trip?"

"Fine," he muttered simply, though at least his tone was friendlier than the stoic look. The thought comforted Otoya the faintest bit. "How was the song writing?"

"Great! I was hoping you could look at them later."

"Sure," the still dripping wet male said, glancing up from his dresser for the first time to see a sitting Syo on his bed. Nothing was said at first, a dark scowl taking place on his face. "You better make my bed when you're done using it."

"Aye-aye, captain!" the blonde replied strategically, giving a quick salute to the male as he passed, and watched him raid his closet.

A smirk played at the edge of Tokiya's lips, and Otoya couldn't help cracking a small smile at the sight of his roommate. He let his eyes shift, moving from Tokiya's face, and down the now extended arm as it reached into the closet. His shirt was practically see-through, and the younger male could see every nicely chiseled muscle concealed beneath.

As the boy's eyes continued down, he watched the way his roommate's stomach muscles flexed when he stretched to reach the stop shelf of his small closet. The fabric clung more to his abs, and suddenly Otoya grew aware he was being far too "intrigued" by his friend to be normal.

A faint blush formed on his cheeks, he was sure of it, considering his face felt a hundred degrees hotter instantaneously. The redhead's eyes focused on Syo, to see if he had noticed, but Syo was too engrossed with accusations and possible truth behind it.

"Tokiya," Syo began, his gaze shifting from the flower to the subject of his call. "Why do you still have Ren's rose?"

The taller male spared a brief glance at the shelf holding the said object, and his scowl quickly returned.

"It's the one from the dance."

"No its not," Syo snapped. "That one was more bloomed, fuller. This one isn't that rose."

With a grumble at the subject, Tokiya strode over in two small steps and grabbed the flower from its ledge, tossing it rather effortlessly into the closest garbage can available.

"It's just a rose."

Otoya stayed silent where he sat, his mind considering the remark Syo had made about Tokiya. That is, until he heard the shuffling of fabric, and his eyes focused on the now shirtless Tokiya not far from the foot of his bed, the tie and Oxford clutched in his fist as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm going to take a shower," he muttered simply, sparing a brief glance at Otoya before stepping into the bathroom and clicking the lock shut behind him.

Even with him gone, the redhead found it difficult to not picture the twinkle of those water droplets on that bare chest, only being added to by the dripping water from his hair. He had never noticed the definition of Tokiya's biceps, and found himself greatly captivated by the sight.

The water started to run, or so he heard through the paper thin walls that separated his room from their private bathroom, and his mind instantly went places it shouldn't have. As Tokiya slid the shower door closed behind him, Otoya's face heated up once more, and he was quickly to his feet.

"How about we go see if Haruka-chan and Tomo-chan want to get dinner in the cafeteria? I'm sure Haruka is starving because her afternoon."

Syo's eyes glanced up from the small trashcan beside Tokiya's bed, and he instantly was at full attention.

"Sounds great! Let's go!"

The redhead nodded in agreement, giving a quick shout of "Tokiya! We'll be in the cafeteria with the girls!" from the door.

"Okay," was all replied from the separated Starish member, the answer faintly muffled by the sound of streaming water.

Otoya's face felt warmer still, and he was quick to breeze through the door before his thoughts came up with more images that didn't belong . . . before he found images that he _really_ liked.

xxx

The thick aroma of his Longjing tea filled the dorm room, the sound his gentle breathing and pen scratching against the paper the only audible sounds in the room. His mind was far off, contemplating the lyrics possible for this S-Class homework he was so diligently working on that late afternoon.

The door squeaked open, and a rather confidently looking Ren strolled in with ease.

"Hello, Masa," he greeted coolly, clicking the door shut after him and coming to stand close behind his friend.

"Ren," Masato greeted indifferently, sparing no chance to glance at his roommate.

The strawberry blonde stood close behind the silent writer, reading each lyric with careful consideration. Minutes seem to pass, and the dark haired male seemed to be growing irritable by the second, especially at his roommate's proximity as he knelt beside him.

"Must you hover?"

"The lyrics sound confused," he remarked with a critiquing look in his eye, ignoring the scowling Masa.

The opinion was quickly ignored, and the notebook was slammed shut with a grumble.

"I'll continue this later, when I am more secluded."

Ren shrugged uncaringly as he returned to his feet, instantly striding to his side of the room to grab his cherished darts. Like clockwork, the darts began to fly from his hand, one by one, hitting nearly perfect center on the board hanging not far off.

Masato turned to watch, his expression apathetic as he studied the tall older male.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Ren inquired unfeelingly, his eyes never leaving the board before him.

"Why are you so torturous to Ichinose-san? Is there a purpose for your mind games on our friend? Tokiya grows more flustered by the day of the fake flirting you do. That is not good to us as a group. Starish will suffer if you continue to exasperate him."

A smirk spread onto his thin lips, his eyes locked on the last dart as it flew across the room.

Upon its smacking center in the board, Ren teased, "Who says I was playing?"

Masato grumbled at the remark and shot to hit feet to rinse his cup in the bathroom sink.

"Fine, avoid the subject with jokes."

The blonde only chuckled at his roommate's frustration, and came to stand behind him. Ren's lips were quick to his approach his ear, fingers sliding across those broad shoulders as he kneaded the muscles tenderly.

"Masa, if I didn't know you better, I would say your jealousy is showing." His long fingers slid further down the muscles of his back, hands settling on Masato's hips.

Quickly seeing through the tease, Masato bumped him back, ignoring the soft chuckle of his friend as he took a few steps away.

"Nice try, Ren. I know you well, and whatever it is you want, the answer is no."

Ren watched as the younger male strode away. His heart yearned for Masato to pause, to re-listen to the tone and ache in the "flirt's" voice. Flirting was farthest from his mind; he was full of sincerity, longing for something to get across to his childhood friend. If only Masato had seen the true intentions behind the "teasing" Ren had been doing to Tokiya, that it was nothing, that his eyes were focused on where his heart was . . . with Masato, even if the feeling was not returned.

The blonde thought back to just a moment ago, as his fingers brushed further down the firm back muscles of Masa's. He had noticed at the time, but hadn't thought of it as something. A shutter of pleasure.

"_A little more encouragement . . . just a little more encouragement is all Masa needs."_

Ren couldn't resist smiling just the faintest bit, quickly concealing it as he breezed past the reading Masato, enjoying the way his blue eyes briefly snuck a peek as he passed.

"_Just a little more . . ._"


End file.
